Chapter 5: The Flash

Barry, now donning his costume, tapped his earpiece. "Where to next?" he asked.

"Three blocks over to the right. There's a burglary in progress at a house. Looks like four perpetrators," Cisco directed, monitoring Barry's movements and the ongoing crime from Star Labs.

Barry wasted no time, rushing to the scene. As he arrived, time seemed to slow down as he assessed the situation. He noticed a getaway vehicle parked nearby, indicating something more serious than a simple burglary.

Acting swiftly, Barry shattered the driver's window and incapacitated the driver with a well-placed strike, rendering them unconscious.

Inside the house, he encountered two masked individuals brandishing assault rifles.

'Assault rifles? This isn't just a burglary,' Barry realized, swiftly subduing them with precise strikes.

Heading upstairs, Barry encountered a man threatening a woman with a gun.

"WHERE'S YOUR HUSBAND?!" the man demanded.

Without hesitation, Barry incapacitated them both, ensuring the woman's safety. Kneeling beside her, he reassured her, "You're safe now," offering comfort as she trembled in fear.

Tears welled up in the woman's eyes as she leaned against Barry's chest, seeking solace.

Feeling a pang of guilt for the turmoil she endured, Barry gently rubbed her head, offering what comfort he could.

"Barry, are you finished? The police will be there soon," Cisco's voice sounded in his earpiece.

Barry nodded, acknowledging Cisco's message. "I'll be out shortly," he replied through the earpiece before turning his attention back to the woman.

"I'm going to restrains the intruders, and the police will arrive soon. You'll be okay," Barry assured her, noting her exhaustion as she simply nodded in response.

Barry efficiently secured the intruders, ensuring they were properly restrained. After conducting a thorough search of the house, he discovered a frightened little boy hiding beneath a bed.

Kneeling down to the child's level, Barry spoke softly, "Hey there, it's safe now. You can come out."

The boy trembled with fear, but Barry reassured him, "I'm a hero, kid. Your mom is safe now."

Hearing this, the boy's eyes widened with relief, and he emerged from his hiding spot, rushing to his mother's room.

Barry followed behind as the boy embraced his mother, exclaiming, "Mom, I'm okay!"

"I know, sweetheart," the mother replied, casting a grateful smile towards Barry and whispering a heartfelt "Thank you."

Barry returned her smile, feeling a sense of fulfillment as he witnessed the reunion of the mother and son. With a nod of assurance, he left the house and tapped his earpiece.

"Cisco, any other ongoing incidents?" Barry inquired.

"Barry, what are you doing?" Caitlin interjected over the comms.

"Saving people?" Barry responded to Caitlin before turning back to Cisco. "Give me the next location."

"Barry, return immediately," Caitlin insisted.

"Why should I?" Barry questioned.

"Just come back!" Caitlin urged.

"Fine," Barry relented, swiftly making his way back to Star Labs. As he arrived in the middle of the cortex.

Cisco avoided eye contact, pretending to be engrossed in something else, while Dr. Wells regarded Barry with a judgmental gaze, and Caitlin appeared visibly upset.

Removing his mask with a smile, Barry faced their scrutiny head-on.

"What were you thinking, Barry?" Caitlin demanded, her arms crossed in frustration.

"I was saving people," Barry replied simply.

"Have you lost your mind? You could have been killed! And Cisco, why are you encouraging him?" Caitlin's tone was laced with concern.

"Well, I always wanted to be the 'man in the chair,'" Cisco quipped.

"Caitlin, no one can stop me unless they have superspeed," Barry asserted confidently.

"Barry Allen, one day you'll face defeat, and at that moment, no one will be there to save you. Confidence is one thing, but arrogance will be your downfall," Dr. Wells cautioned.

"I'm not being arrogant. I know my capabilities, Dr. Wells. There's no ordinary human who can stop me," Barry retorted, his tone rising. "And what's wrong with using my powers to save people? I just rescued a family from certain death. If I hadn't been there, they would be gone! Am I wrong?"

"You're not wrong, Barry. But there's still much we don't understand about your powers. You have limits; you're only human," Dr. Wells reasoned.

"Nah, I can surpass those limits. That's how confident I am," Barry declared.

"Then don't expect me to heal you when you inevitably get hurt," Caitlin warned, storming out of the cortex.

"I'll continue regardless, Dr. Wells. There are likely people out there affected by the particle accelerator explosion. Let me rectify your mistake. I'm certain there's a high probability that some individuals are misusing their newfound abilities. Let me be the city's guardian angel," Barry stated firmly.

Dr. Wells turned his wheelchair around and replied with a smile, "Go ahead, but you're on your own." With that, he too exited the cortex, leaving Barry to ponder the path he had chosen.

Barry exchanged a fist bump with Cisco, their camaraderie evident as they shared a nod of agreement.

"Nice, let's keep this up," Barry remarked with determination.

"Absolutely, just remember to stay cautious. Your speed is a gift, but it comes with risks," Cisco reminded him, offering a reassuring pat on Barry's shoulder.

"Got it. Let's keep going," Barry affirmed, heading out of Star Labs while Cisco settled in to monitor Barry's movements.

Tapping his earpiece, Barry inquired, "Any new crimes in progress?"

"Ah, I've spotted one—a high-speed chase. The suspect has stolen bank money and is fleeing in a black mustang," Cisco reported through the comms.

"Gotcha," Barry acknowledged.

"He's just a few blocks away from you. You should be able to see the car," Cisco added.

Barry wasted no time, sprinting towards the scene. As he approached, he spotted the black mustang and swiftly intercepted it. With precision, he broke through the window, incapacitated the driver, and brought the car to a halt.

"Done, but..." Barry trailed off, recognizing the man behind the wheel as Clyde Mardon, the first villain he had encountered.

"Clyde Mardon," Barry muttered in frustration. 'I don't have enough evidence to prove he has meta powers. What should I do? Arrest him? That seems to be the only option until I can acquire meta-cuffs.'

Barry seized Clyde by the collar and escorted him back to Star Labs.

"Tell Dr. Wells and Caitlin I need to speak with them," Barry instructed Cisco through the comms.

"Roger that," Cisco confirmed.

Upon reaching the cortex, Barry found it empty. Placing Clyde on the ground, he awaited the arrival of Cisco, Caitlin and Dr. Wells.

As Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells entered the cortex, they were surprised to find Barry standing with a restrained individual.

"What's going on? Is this the urgent matter?" Cisco inquired, eyeing the captive with suspicion.

"He's a meta-human," Barry explained with a heavy sigh. "I'm concerned that if I hand him over to the police, he'll wreak havoc in the jail."

Caitlin and Dr. Wells exchanged surprised glances at the revelation of yet another meta-human encounter.

"How do you know?" Cisco pressed, his suspicion evident.

"I witnessed him using his powers, but I intervened before he could unleash them fully," Barry lied smoothly, his mind already justifying his deception.

"I need something to inhibit his powers, at least temporarily," Barry stated firmly.

"I can work on that. Give me a few hours," Cisco offered, swiftly departing the cortex to begin his task.

"Caitlin, make sure they remain unconscious until Cisco finishes his work," Barry instructed.

"I'll do my best," Caitlin assured him.

"And if he wakes up, notify me immediately so I can neutralize him again," Barry added.

"Understood," Caitlin affirmed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Wells couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction seeing Barry's rapid progression as a hero.

'My plan will soon come to fruition. Barry's growth is exceeding my expectations,' Dr. Wells reflected inwardly, concealing his true intentions behind a mask of approval.

While they waited, Caitlin conducted a test on Clyde and confirmed the presence of dark matter in his cells.

After several hours of anticipation, Cisco successfully created a prototype, with Dr. Wells's assistance. They fitted the device onto Clyde's wrists.

"I'll take this to the CCPD as The Flash, and Cisco can patent this technology to make money, I'm sure you need it," Barry declared as he exited Star Labs and headed to the CCPD.

Upon his arrival at the precinct, Barry phased his face to obscure his identity. However, his appearance still alarmed the officers, prompting them to draw their weapons.

"Hands up!" one of the officers commanded.

Barry tossed Clyde toward them and spoke with his voice vibrated to conceal his identity. "That guy is Clyde Mardon," he indicated the unconscious Clyde. "He was supposed to be dead, like his brother. He's a meta-human, with supernatural abilities caused by the Particle Accelerator. I'm one of the victims too." Barry revealed his vibrating hand as proof. "The cuff Clyde is wearing disables his powers. Many citizens of Central City affected by the explosion may also develop powers. I'm here to alert you to be cautious when dealing with potential lawbreakers. That's all from your guardian angel, The Flash. See you soon."

With a smirk, Barry bowed theatrically and dashed away in a blur, leaving the bewildered officers in his wake.